More dress code questions

TazziRN, RN · May 30, 2007

Yes, you are. You have to conform to the facility's dress codes and that includes any physicial embellishments. Some places do not allow piercings that can be seen except for in the ear lobes. Some will not allow tattoos that are visible. It's not just hospitals, it's other businesses too. My MIL works for Wal Mart, they do not allow visible tattoos or extreme hairstyles. You may not like it but if you want to work for a company you have to follow their rules.

Soup Turtle · May 30, 2007

I have a question regarding dress code. Generally it's just an accepted rule that you should wear some form of scrubs or other professional looking attire to work in a medical field, but should dress code also apply to other things such as tattoes, piercings, or certain hairstyles?
I'm asking this because I myself have a mohawk but it's nothing extreme or over the top, and i personally think that with a little creativity a mohawk or even a tattoe or piercing can be tastefully done so as not to create a bad image. Some of my peers are concerned that in job interviews my would be employers might be less inclined to choose me because of my hairstyle, but my logic is that if I'm well qualified, good at my job, and have a professional attitude towards my co-workers, what difference does it make if I, or anyone else, has a mohawk?
Am i wrong in thinking this way?

What I've been told is that a lot of older people may actually become fearful when they see a nurse with this type of style. It shouldn't matter, but it does. Eventually, waaaay in the future, it probably won't.

MrChicagoRN, RN · May 30, 2007

Depends on the setting, but generally mohawks, extreme tattoos & piercings will definitely be career limiting

People will judge you by their first impression, which will be based larely on appearance.

Dolce, RN · May 30, 2007

I've worked with a CNA who had a mohawk and I thought he was a little weird when I first met him. First impressions can make or break a job interview.

platinum_garb · May 30, 2007

I think you should always present yourself in the best way possible upon the first meeting/interview. First impressions are often made within the first 30 seconds of meeting someone new!

I also think that the dress code varies widely depending on where you go. You can interview for a position and they will tell you (as a female, in my instance) no acrylic nails/nail color, no multiple ear piercings, no hair touching the collar (must be in a ponytail) and you may accept that job and see all those things on your co-workers the first day.

I personally think that tattoos and facial piercings dont have a place out in the open in healthcare (and yes, I have both!!! and yes, you would never know that if you met me at work!!! :idea: ) and should be removed/covered up while at work. It's just professionalism. Do I think your mowhawk has a place? I'd have to see it. My idea of a mohawk and yours might be different and maybe your hair is trendy and acceptable at most places.

As far as my comment about places wanting one thing and accepting another...Walmart (as previously mentioned) is a great example. I see people working with colored hair, tats, and piercings at my local "mart" all the time. Different managers will allow/accept different things.

justme1972 · May 30, 2007

I agree with Tazzi...the reason you see so very few folks with mohawks, facial piercings or heavy tatoos that are visible, is because they are just not acceptable in a professional environment.

There is no way to do a mohawk or facial piercing "tastefully". There just isn't. Some practices are just not acceptable, and it is much easier to change your appearance and land a good job, and get noticed for your abilities rather than an "alternative appearance".

I'm in nursing school right now, but when I was a manager for a large firm, on occasion we would get someone to walk in with an "alternative appearance".

The most I would tolerate (and my superiors would tolerate, as I had to answer to them) is small tatoos on the ankle. Anything on the legs, and women were required to wear pants. Men with tatoos that could not be covered up by a shirt, were just simply not hired. Women with tatoos on the back of their neck, were not permitted to wear their hair up.

With extreme haircuts and facial piercings, if they came in with it, I would just tell the secretary to tell the interviewee that something came up and I needed to reschedule....and they just wouldn't receive a call back.

Please, please...put your BEST foot forward. You have most likely worked way to hard to get where you are to not get a job because of something so easily fixable.

ERRNTraveler, RN · May 30, 2007

With extreme haircuts and facial piercings, if they came in with it, I would just tell the secretary to tell the interviewee that something came up and I needed to reschedule....and they just wouldn't receive a call back.

WOW- that is just about the most rude thing I have ever heard! So someone may have driven hours to interview with you, and if your secretary saw a pierced nose, you would have her LIE to them, turn them away, make them drive all the way home, and then never call them again??? That is just NASTY! I pray that I never have the misfortune of working for someone like you! :trout:

Trauma Columnist · May 30, 2007

Dress, piercings, tattoos are very dependent on each individual facility. At the hospital where I used to work, we had to sign a copy of the dress code - it was strictly enforced and if you didn't follow it, you were fired. Didn't matter if you were a clerk, dishwasher, CNA, RN, whatever - everyone was held to the same standard.

casi, ASN, RN · May 30, 2007

I think that some employers are becoming more lax on facial piercing and tattoos because these are becoming a norm in younger generations. As a 23 year old I rarely give a facial piercing a second look.

I work with several CNAs with facial piercings. They are nothing over the top, just a stud in a lip or a tongue. I also work with several CNAs that have visible tattoos. My DON actually has quite a few visible tattoos, so many it’s just my DON who’s lax on the dress code.

A mohawk however might be a little over the top. Could you compromise and wear it down when you work?

southernatheart · May 30, 2007

Well, my pink hair has never counted against me:) I waited til I was done with school...and had peek-a-boo shocking pink to the bottom layers on each side of my head. I have a job at a strict Catholic hospital...and have never had a negative comment about it. As a matter of fact, I've found that it's STARTED many conversations with my patients!

MB37 · May 30, 2007

A lot of places have policies on no visible tattoos. A general rule of thumb, when you're going out to get new tats, is to get them somewhere that you have the ability to cover them up if necessary if you ever plan on working in a professional environment. There's nothing wrong with them, but when you deal with people all day some of them will disagree and it's not worth the headache to management. Same things with multiple piercings, plus they can be unsafe if a patient tries to grab at you. I think hairstyles are harder to mandate. Are blond streaks OK? Black? Pink? Is a mohawk out of the question for a nurse, but the doctor with the mullet is above reproach (especially if you wear it down for work)? Can a guy shave his head? What about a woman? It's hard to create a fair policy on acceptable hair. However, what they can do is not call you back from your interview and make up some other reason why they didn't hire you. Go to a few with it, and see what people say! Hopefully you live in a liberal part of the country.